The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1887-11-01
IA STRANGE DELIVERANCE.

in which played, involuntarily.
leading part, which has always been
interesting in its telling and may be
equally so when written and read.
II was about month after the close
of our civil war; when ! was stationed
in town on the Miss ssippi in Louisi-
! ana busily engaged in connection with
Nv duties as provost marshal OF d'vis-
D and district, in parollng the many
confederales who were constantly
hing in, most of them sick and worn,
Hll hungry and dirty.
Old Colonel G.. good ''rebeT' and
fine gentleman, cons dered himself UNI
der obi cations 10 me for sending to
his home, in M ambulance, his young,
brave, gray-coated and very sick SOL
der son, and he continually invited me
TO accept his hearty, old-fashoned
Soulhern hospitality at the home plan
ialions about eight miles from our post.
He hal three Young daughters, good
rebels ALL but pretty. bright, sensible
lad cs, whose political opinions never
tainted their courtesy | was glad to
seek such pleasant company and often
did so.
received notice one day from the
colonel, that the next Sunday would be
little Georgia's birthday, that my pres
rnce would add to the ioyousness of the
occas lon, and that there would be am
Pile home products for egg-nog, which
latter in!imation well understood to
mean that | would be greatly thanked
if brought the spurious ingredients
for the connection.
Early on the day mentioned noun
ted with two canteens. one of whisky
and one of Jamaica rum, fastened on
Amv saddle bow, and with no weapons.
ecessity required that should be in
Inform passing through our troops
Dand lines, and as the day was very,
very warm. only wore flannel under
shirt beneath my closely buttoned
double-breaSted coat, and strapped be-
hind me II clean white garment and
two collars polished in the best style of
the laundry art. knew would have
to throw OIL my tight fitting ''harness"
on my arrival to put on the light, gray
jacket the colonel always insisted su ted
me better than the blue and and brass,
and ] wanted to look mice"
The road was long. hot and terribly
dusty. About 500 yards from my desti
nation stopped, picketed my horse in
side the fence, retired to thick grove
of high underbrush | well knew, and
through which ran little stream of
clear water. / disrobed and bathed,
then. fresh, cool and clean. proceeded
TO ''prepare for inspection and review. "
was struggling with the over starched
billed shirt" head and arms hidden,
when through the muiilng | heard the
cracking of twigs AS | thrust my
Asad, with hair all tumbed. through
|he BOSOM opening of the garment |
looked directly into the muzzes of
three revolvers and one shot gun, all
held within five feet of and on level
with my head in manner not calculat-
ed to increase mans appetite for the
contents.
Behind each weapon was villainous
outlaw, specimens of that class who
were rebels and murderers with Union
men and murders and Yankees with the
Confederates, men who met with no
mercy or sympathy from the true SOL
lliers of either side. Worse still, rec
ognized from descriptions often given
me. that one of the party was Mat
Kingsley, whose house, near the post. |
had been forced TO take as Il smallpox
hospital, and who, heard. vowed ven
geance upon me for the act.
There was nothing to do but throw
up my hands," and | did it There
was no use in arguing or pleading with
such gang. so put bold front on
the matter and tried to compromise.
had a couple of hundred dollars in
greenbacks in my pocket and these with
my horse offered If they would free
\ me. They laughed the proposition to
scorn. They had me and all these be-
longing to me and intended TO part
with nothing. They had not expected
such luck as finding me, being Oh
their way to some other cowardly,
lheiving expedition, and securing me
was prze unexpected.
Quickly as possible | was stripped of